At 21, Alzheimer's is the Last Thing on Your Mind

Until Your Mother Gets It

It’s common to think that dementia affects only particular demographics—like seniors—but Kathryn Fudurich’s story reminds us of how this disease can have a huge impact on anyone’s life.

When Kathryn was 21 and in her last year of university, her mom, Patricia, was diagnosed with young onset dementia. The signs had been there for a while. Patricia had become anxious about everyday tasks like driving, began buying household items in multiples and struggled professionally. At age 55, she could no longer keep her job or live alone. So Kathryn and other family members stepped in.

Kathryn moved back home after graduation and put her life on hold to be a part of her mother’s care. She felt very much alone in this situation at such a young age, so she reached out to the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. Later she discovered some of her own friends were also going through this experience. What Kathryn really needed was to talk to someone who had been there, who knew what it means to live with an irreversible diagnosis.

Kathryn continues to share the responsibility of care with her dad and siblings. But it doesn’t get easier. Caring for someone with dementia is incredibly time-consuming and emotional, because it’s a “living disease,” not something you just “get over.” Kathryn describes feeling the loss of her mom every day, and struggles with the need to be there—or close by—even eight years later.

Through mutual friends, Kathryn met Carolyn Poirier, whose mother also has Alzheimer’s. She joined Carolyn and her friends in founding Memory Ball as a way of raising funds for people living with dementia. “Stepping out of the caregiving role, even briefly, is really important for caregivers,” says Kathryn.

But what’s even more important? When friends step into your world. If you know someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, spend an afternoon or evening with them. Bring them a hot meal, and see first-hand what their life is like.

There are so many ways to support families like Kathryn’s, so many ways to get involved with the people in your community affected by this disease. You can also donate to the Alzheimer Society, so that we can continue to offer resources and fund research. Because it’s not just their disease. It’s ours too. #InItforAlz